Chaos over city's caretaker

Oct 04, 2011, 09:03 IST
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A Correspondent

Dreams are abundant and people simply refuse to stop dreaming about transforming Mumbai into a world-class city

Dreams are abundant and people simply refuse to stop dreaming about transforming Mumbai into a world-class city. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan is also determined to transform Mumbai on the lines of Shanghai, just as once dreamt by Vilasrao Deshmukh.

But the only pity is that we do not have enough will to find a solution about the crumbling public transport system that is essential to keep the wheels of the mega city moving. Today almost every Mumbaikar is fuming and cursing the way things have been moving. First it was pothole-filled roads and then the collapsed public transport to mention a few. The miseries of the common man are unending, even though they are willing to pay the price for a safer and faster public transport. But they continue to be bullied by an arrogant class of union leaders and unscrupulous elements from the politics maidan.

Sharad Rao, the man behind the ongoing strike of auto rickshaw men, is close to the NCP top leadership. Though the NCP chief Sharad Pawar, is known for his political acumen and knowledge to handle a crisis, but it looks like Pawar now is disinterested in interfering for the city's benefit, which he has been associated with since 1963. His intervention is highly recommended because CM Prithviraj Chavan is yet to go into the nitty-gritty's of the metropolis, even though he himself heads the Transport department. His deputy Gulabrao Deokar, who should be addressing the issue, is away at Jalgaon to handle the district central co-operative bank elections, scheduled tomorrow.

To add to the chaos, the Samajwadi Party and a section within the Congress is supporting the rickshawmen's cause. There is hardly any reaction from the Shiv Sena or the MNS, who usually lap up every issue. Especially when the Samajwadi Party and north Indian leaders from Congress are supporting the cause. The only conclusion that can be derived from this silence is that they are more interested in the unions than the common Mumbaikars.